modernmax wrote:
Going way down south for Thanksgiving. This'll be the first time I've really spent time there in 15 years so I could use some info. Anything from how the people are and what slang to use to interesting laws. Anything helps. And of course I already know the weather's nice.
I live in Florida and its hard to answer your question because I don't leave Florida. Its like asking you what it is like to have 2 arms.
If I was familiar with where you lived then I could do a contrast, but I can offer the following.
I came to Florida from Mississippi and the first thing I noticed was the driving. When it rains, everybody drives dead slow. There is an ambulance almost everyday. Normal driving, expect all sorts of speeds on the highway in excess of the speed limit. Beware, you have to know where you can speed and not speed. Don't speed on long interstates, go about 5mph over the speed limit. In Mississippi, the interstate was for traveling far away - in Florida its like a regular road to get from point A to point B.
I live in St. Petersburg/Tampa area, everyone speaks english. Once I was in Miami and went to a gas station to ask for something and the person did not speak english - just spanish. So, be ready for that.
Mostly however, I find the people in Florida to be fairly intelligent.
Oh, now the memories are coming back. Business people are less formal, that does not mean they don't have integrity or follow procedures because they absolutely do. I think its because some kinds of formality is superfluous and pointless to follow.
Btw - the weather is weird, it might rain or it might be sunny - mostly sunny though. It can get cold the day after it rains so bring a light jacket just in case. (not a jacket with lights on it, just a thin one I mean)
This is probably common everywhere now, but if you see someone talking to themselves they are probably just on the phone with an earpiece.
Driving. When getting on an interstate, some places people are nice and scoot over for you but other places, probably when the traffic is tight, they will try to keep you from getting in front of them. In that case, you have to assert yourself and expect them to move as you invade the space in front of them. I think the best way is to start drifting over but only as an indicator that you intend to get in that lane - the other person will either slow down or be a dick and accelerate. Never "car fight" though, let the other person back off before getting in their lane and if they don't back off then just tell yourself they are a dick and try again with someone else. The point is though, consider yourself invisible unless your in their way or about to be in their way. It feels like disrespect, but I think everyone expects it. Forgot, use your blinker. A blinker is the same thing as saying , "Hey, can you let me in?". When people are nice and let you in, wave your hand to say thank you. Just holding it up for a second can be good enough instead of waving it. They will see your arm in contrast to your front windshield, don't stick your arm out the window and wave.
McDonalds seems to be becoming a pit-stop for the homeless. You may see one or 2 homeless people camped out in a booth - usually in the out of sight seats close to the bathroom. Sometimes they like to talk, and then not stop talking. So beware when making eye contact, they may take it as an initiation to talk or that you are someone that might give them a couple dollars.
Ah, a bad one. Geez, I thought I had nothing to say. Some people will walk straight out into the road in front of you. If you see someone walking up to the street, keep an eye on them because they may not stop and keep walking out into the street. I think this is a flaw in florida law, pedestrians have the right of way. People take this to mean that you can just walk out into the street and drivers have to stop. Keep an eye on cross walks, people will usually just walk across cross walks without even looking for a car coming. Once I was picking up my daughter from the movie theater at night and with was raining lightly. As I idled across the front of the theatre - all of a sudden I saw this couple right in front of me and I had to slam on the breaks. I opened my window to let them know I almost hit them and they argued that it was a cross walk. So, be careful around cross walks - they will expect you to stop and wont even check. This includes shopping areas, grocery stores, movie theaters, busy public areas where there are shops along streets.
If I think of something else, I'll post it.
19 Nov 2017, 2:37 pm
